The Things That Matter Most
by Vintage Tea Party
Summary: Henry has finally told Jo his story but she isn't sure she can accept it until she hears Abe tell his. Post episode 1:22


_This is fine. Everything will be just fine. No, this is actually a good thing. Really good._

Henry was trying hard to convince himself of these things as Jo stepped into the shop and they followed Abe upstairs to the apartment. Henry had not been expecting this to happen today but, he reasoned, that only worked in his favor. He hadn't had to dread this coming and he hadn't been able to get unnecessarily worked up with anxiety over it. It would be better this way. This was all for the best.

Today was the day. Today Jo would know the truth.

Abe led them into the kitchen and Henry pulled a chair out from the table eager to sit down. He was starting to feel shaky as the reality of what was happening started to sink in. In the middle of the table was a plate of beautiful raspberry linzer cookies-Abe's latest post-death comfort food. The simple but heartfelt gesture never failed to make Henry's day and he'd sampled many of them earlier. But at this moment he found himself wishing there was a stiff drink on the table instead and wondered if it would be too rude for him to get one. He had thought he'd been in the clear. He'd feared that Jo would find him yesterday as he bled out but when that didn't happen he thought he'd escaped having to tell her at least for the time being. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't actually sure he could do this.

There was a part of him that wanted this to happen. There had been times when he'd dreamed of this day and what it might be like. Contrary to what Abe might think at times, he did not enjoy lying to Jo. He hated it. He hated himself for being capable of deceiving her on such a major point for so long. It was a constant worry for him and a continual hindrance to the growth of their relationship. Yes, he'd been able to keep his secrets to himself but their presence had not gone unnoticed by Jo and every time he refused to share them he widened the gap between them. It would be a relief not to have to lie to her anymore and it would be a joy to be able to talk with her about everything. Also, once Jo knew the truth their relationship might have the opportunity to become something even more.

But the happy part of him was not the most vocal part of him. Today could possibly be the day he lost her forever. She might not believe any of what he told her. Or she might believe him but be angry he lied to her for so long. If either of those very real possibilities happened, he would lose their current friendship, he would lose the chance of a future with her, and he would lose their professional partnership together. Today he could lose everything he'd gained since that September morning she walked into his morgue for the first time. He wanted to be brave and strong; he wanted to have faith that things could end well. But there was too much at stake for him not to feel terrified.

He sensed Jo and Abe moving around him but suddenly his head felt funny. Everything around him became hazy and distant like there was a veil between him and the outside world. He felt a couple of heart palpitations one right after the other that were so strong he had to put a hand to his chest. His vision was getting dark except for a bright spot right in the middle that was expanding and consuming his line of sight. He recognized the dreadful signs and knew he was starting to have a panic attack. He put his head in his hands and tried to breathe deep and get himself under control. But the guilt he felt of already handling this so poorly was not helping matters.

He heard Abe speak to him but it was hard to hear what he was saying. He felt Abe come near his side and then put his hands on his shoulders. He was grateful because the physical contact helped to ground him. Slowly, his sight and hearing returned to him and he could hear Abe coaching him through deep breaths and encouraging him to relax. He followed the instructions and the sensation came back to his body. Things were still going haywire-heart pounding, stomach cramping, sweat breaking out-but he could at least feel it all now like he should.

When he finally felt like he could see again he pulled his face out of his hands and found himself inches from Abe. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He didn't want Abe to be disappointed or irritated. Abe got frustrated with him for his fear and reluctance over telling Jo about this but Abe just didn't understand how hard this was for him to do. He was grateful it was something that Abe would never understand but it had led to a more than a few disagreements between them.

But what Abe said this time surprised Henry. "Remember Mom," he whispered.

His meaning was clear. He was reminding Henry of how it had gone when he'd told Abigail the truth. Henry then too had been terrified to tell her and was sure it would be like it had been when he'd told Nora. But her acceptance had exceeded all his expectations. Abe wanted Henry to see that Jo just might surprise him too.

He looked around Abe and saw Jo standing a few feet behind him, holding a glass of water and wearing a worried expression. Abe moved out of the way as Jo came closer and handed Henry the water. She crouched down and reached for one of his hands and held it securely in both of hers.

"Please don't be afraid to talk to me. About anything, ever."

Her voice cracked and he could tell he'd already hurt her. He squeezed her hand in return trying to relieve some of the pain he had caused her. But he _was_ afraid. He doubted there were many people in this world that could face a conversation that could end a dear friendship not feel fear. "I'm sorry."

"Are you afraid of me?" Jo asked. He could clearly see that the very idea horrified her.

"Not of you. Of losing you."

"Think of all we've been through together. We'll get through this too."

 _I hope so,_ he thought. But the painful smile on her face and the hint of faith in her voice made it impossible for him to voice this concern. He forced himself to give her a smile. He squeezed her hand, trying to sketch in his memory the shape and feel of it and hoping desperately this would not be the last time he would be allowed to hold it.

Abe sat three glasses of scotch on the table and Henry couldn't be more grateful for the level of familiarity between them that allowed Abe to so adequately anticipate his needs. Henry downed his in one gulp in the hope that it would steady both his shaky body and thoughts.

It burned his mouth and shocked his system enough that he was able to get the first few words out. "Let's get started."

* * *

Henry had finally done it. He had told Jo his story, the real one this time. He hadn't covered everything of course; that would take much longer than an afternoon spent around his kitchen table. But he had covered all the main points and the highlights. Everything that wasn't essential would come later when he had more time and after Jo had digested what he'd already told her. _If_ she did.

There were reasons to hope for that; the main one being that Jo was still here and still listening. That in itself meant things were going well. She hadn't fled and she hadn't instantly accused him of being a liar or insane. She'd been surprisingly quiet through the whole of it. She nodded along with him at certain points and asked questions at others. A few times she had looked over to Abe, surely to confirm that he believed the things that Henry was saying, and Abe had supported him on all points. Henry had seen brief flashes of every emotion on Jo's face and she was so quiet that it was hard to know what she was thinking. He hoped she was accepting everything he was telling her.

There was a prolonged silence as Henry felt he was nearing the end of his narrative. He knew he was about finished but he also hesitated to wrap things up. He was afraid to hear what Jo had to say; what would she think of him now? He knew that things were going to change now but he was terrified to find out if that change would be for the better or for the worse.

When he finally had the courage to look up and meet Jo's eyes he found himself unable to. She had glanced down, her forehead wrinkled in deep concentration. He wanted to say her name and prompt her to speak but the strange look was on her face it made him stop.

Suddenly, she stood up and, without a word, turned and left.

Henry looked over at Abe. Abe didn't seem quite as alarmed as he was but he still wore a look of confusion which told Henry that Jo's sudden departure was a surprise to him as well. Henry started to stand and go after her but Abe put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Let me talk to her. You know, mortal to mortal."

Henry still wanted to go after Jo himself but he understood the logic of Abe's suggestion. Henry realized that Abe, who had been through this before, could relate to Jo in a way that he could not. Abe had been in Jo's position before but Henry never had.

With a pain and his worry growing by the second, he relented. "Alright."

Abe went outside and found Jo sitting in her car. She didn't seem as if she was in any big hurry to leave though; she just sat in the driver's seat staring off into the distance in front of her.

He tapped gently on the glass but still managed to startle her. "Can I join you?" he asked.

She nodded her head and he got in. He looked over at her when he saw her open her mouth but she said nothing. She seemed in shock, disoriented by the truth she'd just learned. He couldn't blame her for such a reaction; Henry's story sounded so much like fantasy.

"Wanna take a drive?" he suggested.

* * *

"This isn't far from the place where I usually pick Henry up. You know after…"

Abe didn't finish his sentence when he saw the look of near horror on Jo's face. They were now parked down by the river. Abe wondered if Jo had consciously driven them here or if it had been a cruel trick of her subconscious. Judging by the current look on her face, he would say it was the later. Obviously, they were a long way from being able to talk casually about Henry's deaths. He had been so glad to have a person to talk to he'd forgotten that it would take her a while to get to that place.

"So, when he was arrested for indecent exposure that means that he had really just…?" Jo asked.

"Uh, yeah," Abe reluctantly confirmed.

"Oh," she said but it came out sounding more like an expression of pain than an acknowledgment of what he'd said. She gripped the wheel tightly with both hands before lowering her head to rest against it. After a moment Abe realized she was crying.

He reached out a hand and started to rub her back. "It's alright, sweetheart. This is a lot to take in; anybody would be overwhelmed."

"That's not it," she shaking her head.

"Ah, come on now. You don't get any extra points for handling this news with a stiff upper lip."

"No," she said lifting her head and taking a few breaths to calm herself. "I mean, don't get me wrong; everything Henry said is just so... It's so…I just can't even think about it all right now. But, surprisingly, it's not what I feel most upset about right now."

"Really?" he asked. The tone of his voice indicated that he didn't really believe her.

"Abe, you don't get it. I told Henry _things_. Things about myself that I would never have told anyone else. I knew he was keeping something from me but…I thought we were close. Now, I realize I never knew him at all," she said, her voice quivering.

"That's not entirely true."

"I didn't know you were his son," she said her voice gaining strength as she began to sound frustrated. "I didn't know it was his _wife_ that we found just last week. I didn't know he's _died_ numerous times in the year that I've known him!"

Her voice had risen dramatically and she was almost shouting at this point. Abe understood the anger she felt so well and he agreed with her completely. But it was his goal to help keep things from spinning completely out of control. Henry needed Jo and she needed him. They both just needed a little help to get through this rough patch and Abe knew he was the man for the job. When he spoke again his approach was cautious.

"I understand. Believe me, I understand being angry. I do. But I promise that things are not as bleak as they appear right now."

"Really?" she asked skeptically but the anger quickly drained out of her voice and was replaced with sadness. "What does it say about our relationship that he was able to deceive me about something this big? What does it say that he _wanted_ to in the first place?"

"If I may," Abe started carefully, knowing he was approaching dangerous territory. "But what if he had told you the truth? What if, one of the times you asked him a question he hadn't lied and he told you the truth? What if he'd just come out and said 'Jo, I'm immortal. I can't die and I'm 235 years old'? What would have happened then?"

She didn't answer.

"You wouldn't have believed him, right?" he quietly prompted.

"Well, of course not. Who would believe that?"

"Nobody would. That's what I'm saying though; cut yourself some slack. You could have never arrived at such an extraordinary conclusion. And maybe cut Henry some slack too because he never could have expected you to believe that either."

Jo was quiet for a few moments, sulking a bit as Abe's words sunk through. Abe thought that maybe Jo really was perfect for Henry; she was almost just as stubborn as him. But Abe's attitude softened when she looked up and he saw she was crying again.

When she spoke he could hear how heartbroken she was. "He lied to me. So many times he looked me right in the face and lied to me. And it didn't even bother him."

Abe reached out and took her hand. "You're right. He did lie to you and, in my opinion, for far too long and that was wrong. He was wrong to do that. But you can't say it didn't bother him because I know for a fact that it did. Jo, he hated lying to you. I think he just backed himself into a corner he didn't know how to get out of."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when he first met you he didn't know you. He didn't know if you were trustworthy or not. And he certainly didn't know how much you would come to mean to him. By the time he realized those things about you he had already been lying to you for so long I think he didn't know how he could get out of it. Whenever Henry shares his secret with someone it is a _big_ deal. In all the time he's been this way I think he could probably count on one hand the number of times he's done it. He's just not had enough practice to be good at it yet."

She seemed to perk up slightly at his encouraging words but it was obvious she was still upset. "I understand that it would be difficult to talk about this. And I get that he felt I wouldn't believe him. I just…it just _hurts_."

Abe could tell that she felt it. He was a little surprised that this was the conversation they were having. He had been prepared for doubt. He'd been ready to try and talk her into believing what Henry had said was true or trying to convince her that he wasn't crazy. He'd not been ready for hurt feelings. He hadn't been prepared to talk Jo into believing in her relationship with Henry.

He should have expected it though. It had been his own experience after all. And because he had been there himself he felt there wasn't anything he could say to make it better. He couldn't remember anything that he'd been told at the time that had made it hurt any less.

He felt deflated and a little defeated. He wasn't sure how to proceed. He wanted to help Jo and Henry stay together through this but remembering his own story he wondered if only time and experience could do that.

"I know," he said. "I felt the exact same way when I found out. Honestly, he broke my heart."

He hadn't been trying to convince her of anything anymore he had just been speaking his mind. But what he had just said seemed to make more of an impact than anything else he'd told her. Jo sat up a little straighter and turned towards him. Her eyes brightened and became inquisitive.

"How did you find out? If you don't mind me asking."

For whatever reason it had never occurred to Abe to share his story with Jo. That seemed liked a silly oversight now.

"Well," he said thinking about it and smiling at little. "I'm a little embarrassed to say how it all came about now. I was so young at the time."

"I'd like to hear about it if you don't mind sharing."

He smiled at her and patted her arm. "Of course I don't know mind." She looked so eager he'd have told her about it even if he did.

"When I found out it was by accident too. Henry told me because he had to, just like with you. I was 15 at the time. I came home from school one day and my mom had started a bout of unexpected spring cleaning. Unfortunately, I hadn't known she would be doing it or that she would be starting with my room."

"Uh oh," Jo said with a small smile, her first since she'd heard Henry's about secret. Abe was glad to see it.

"Yeah, uh oh is right. She found my…uh…secret stash so to speak. It was all harmless enough things but not exactly the stuff you want your mom to know you have. Anyway, she flipped out and I flipped out and she took the stuff and I got quite the lecture from her and Henry that night.

"The next day I was seething. The more I thought about it I got the angrier I got. At that age it's so important that everything be fair and I just couldn't help but feel that the whole situation was completely unfair. Those were my things and I was determined to get them back. So, when Henry and my mom went out, I went to their room to look for my stuff. I never went in their room; it had always been off limits. But I was so angry and determined there was no stopping me."

Abe paused, laughing a little at his younger self and shook his head. "Well, I obviously got much more than I bargained for. I didn't find what I was looking for but I found something else. As I was searching, in the back of the closet I found this strange looking case. I had never seen anything quite like it before. It looked so old and unusual that I was drawn to it. I was so curious about what it was for I decided to open it.

"Inside I found all these well preserved papers and pictures. At first I just thought that it must be the box where Mom and Dad kept their important papers. Their marriage license, my adoption papers, a picture from their wedding day and documents from when Henry was in the war were in there. But as I continued to flip through the items…they just kept getting older and older. There were papers, all with Henry's name on them, that were _too_ old. There were years and years of credentials from jobs, too many years' worth for how old Henry was supposed to be. There were pictures from the turn of the century and even before that Henry was in but looked exactly as he had that morning. Really, it was the pictures that sent me over. Some of them had to have been close to 100 years old but _Henry_ was in them _._ "

Beside him Jo was clearly interested in his story. He was glad now to have the opportunity to tell her. It stuck him, suddenly, that he'd never told anyone this story before. Henry and Abigail were the only people Abe had ever known who had known about Henry's secret and of course they'd been there as these events had unfolded. But Jo was like him now, keeper of the secret, and she could understand his story and what he had experienced back then.

"I didn't know what to think at first. Naturally, my mind rushed to form a logical explanation. I thought the items must be family heirlooms; they must have come from Henry's ancestors, men who had also been named Henry Morgan and who had borne an uncanny resemblance to him. That could happen. Only, even as I was thinking it, I knew it wasn't true. Henry had already told me before that his name hadn't been passed on. He wasn't named after his father or grandfather or great-grandfather. There were no other Henry Morgans in his family. Also, seeing all that evidence in front of me made everything else make sense. I was old enough at that point to know that there was a reason for all the moving around, for why my parents didn't make close friends, for why Henry worried so much, I just hadn't known what it was yet. Everything that had never made sense to me about Henry before made sense in light of this new information. It couldn't be true and yet I felt it had to be true."

"So, what did you do?"

"I took the case out into the living and left everything just out there in the open and waited until they got home. I knew they might be angry at me for snooping but there was no going back; I needed some answers. When they came home and saw they knew. Poor Henry. He got that same look on his face that he did today when you held that picture up: Terrified. I'll never forget it. I had never seen him genuinely afraid of anything; he was my dad so he had always acted brave in front of me. But there he was afraid, afraid of talking to me about this.

"They told me everything. I probably wouldn't have believed any of it if Mom hadn't been there confirming everything Henry was saying. It did cross my mind that they might both be insane but it seemed unlikely they would both share the same delusion. And again, I already knew in my gut that it was all true."

"So, you accepted it?"

Abe laughed. "No, not really. I mean, I knew it was true. It had to be. But that doesn't mean I handled it well because I did not. I looked at this man that I had known my whole life and suddenly it was like I was looking at a stranger. It was like I didn't know him at all."

Jo started to nod her head quickly. "That's how I feel. How did you get over it?"

"I didn't, at first. I stopped talking to Henry, for almost a whole year. Which is really saying something considering we lived together."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was just so hurt and angry. I had known for a while that something had to be going on but until then it had felt like we were all on the same team. Finding out what Henry had been hiding made me realize that all that time I was really separate from them because they had known what was going on and I hadn't. I felt betrayed and alone. I am not proud of it now but I wanted to hurt him because he had hurt me."

Jo silently nodded her, like she understood what he meant. Then after a moment of thought she asked, "But didn't he try to talk you out of it?"

Abe smiled a little. They both understood Henry and his fear of long silences and his fondness for filling them with lots of words. "Actually, he didn't. He gave me my space and let me come back to him when _I_ was ready. I could see it hurt him to do but he accepted responsibility for his actions and he gave me space because that's what I said I wanted. I may have been mad at him but even then it meant a lot that he respected that."

"So, what changed it all? What made you…forgive him?" she asked.

"Partly, I could just say I got tired of it. It took a lot of energy to be mad all the time. But mostly, even though it's embarrassing to admit, I just missed him." Abe paused a moment and smiled at Jo. "I just missed him. Most of the guys I knew at the time didn't have good relationships with their dads but I always had. Henry had always been affectionate and encouraging and even when I was a teenager I would go to him for advice or just to tell him about what was going on in my life. I knew at that time of life I should hate him like my buddies hated their dads but I just didn't.

"Then one night I came home after a date, brokenhearted. The girl I had been seeing had dumped me and I was crushed. I got home and I was miserable and I could tell Henry wanted to ask me what was wrong but he didn't. But I realized then that I needed him and I wanted him back in my life. I wanted to tell him about the girl and how she'd broke my heart; I wanted to tell him about everything. I told him I was sorry about everything and you know what he did? He took me back just like that because that's the kind of man he is. He wasn't even angry; he was relieved, happy. He may not always make the best choices about his secret but when it comes to his relationships he is the most loyal and dedicated person you'll ever meet."

Jo continued to nod her head as if she seemed to understand where he was going with this but might still be having a hard time accepting it.

"The point I'm trying to make is that I learned being angry wasn't worth it. I had a right to be upset with Henry; nobody could say that I didn't. But shutting him out hurt us both. Like, I got my driver's license that year and I wouldn't take Henry with me even though I knew he really wanted to go. Now, that's a memory I'll never have with him. I took that away from both of us. At the time I felt like he was getting what he deserved but in the end I regretted it."

Jo looked a little overwhelmed now that Abe's story had turned emotional. He found himself feeling much more than he had expected to today as well. Retelling his story had drudged up a lot of memories. Also, it stirred up a lot of his feelings about Henry, many more than he usually let himself feel, and far more than he ever showed. But it felt important to do so today. He hadn't really thought before that his own experience might be helpful but now he felt what he had learned might actually help Jo not make the same mistakes he had.

Jo looked like she was on the brink of tears again and Abe reached out and took her hands giving them an encouraging squeeze. "Listen, I know that the situation between me and Henry was different than the one between you and him. But it isn't so different that I didn't feel that you couldn't learn from my mistake. Jo, you have every right to be angry and hurt; just don't let your anger be the most important thing. I'm not saying you have to pretend you're not upset or that you should cover up your true feelings. Just be willing to work it out with him. I think that you and Henry have something special and that's what matters the most. I would hate to see that lost or damaged.

"And," Abe paused, considering if he should add this part or not. Jo looked expectantly at him. She seemed on the edge of being convinced so he decided to go ahead and give her all he had. "Henry loves you. I know he does. It's the truth even if he's too stubborn to say it yet."

"You think so?" Jo asked hopefully, tears filling her eyes. Abe could see how much she wanted to believe it.

"I really do. Henry doesn't do things in halves, especially not his relationships."

Abe realized he had an annoying catch in his own throat but he didn't care really. Jo leaned forward and hugged him. "Thank you," she whispered.

It was an emotional day, for him too even though he was reluctant to admit it. Going through this day of truth telling with Jo had brought up so many old memories, both good and bad ones but it was all worth it because he felt that he might have just succeeded in helping prevent these two from crashing and burning this thing between them. Anger was a powerful force but he knew from experience it was not the strongest. And Abe was convinced that Jo was going to make the right choice.

* * *

Henry was waiting, endeavoring to remain optimistic but inevitably feeling weaker and weaker with every passing minute. Jo and Abe had been gone for so long and the more time that passed the more anxious Henry became. He knew that Abe would have the right words for this situation and he did trust Jo in Abe's care. What worried him was wondering if Jo was beyond reaching and the longer they were gone the more Henry became convinced that was the case.

 _I'm going to lose her_

He tried to keep that nagging doubt from his mind but it kept coming back. He had felt that things were going so well earlier but honestly he didn't know what had been going on inside of Jo's head or what she was feeling. It wasn't like there was a precedent for this.

 _Remember Mom_

Henry thought again of Abe's words from earlier and their meaning. He wanted to be as hopeful as Abe was, as he always was, but he had been through things Abe had not, and thank heavens, never would. Henry would like to believe that Jo would accept him as Abigail had done but he knew he couldn't count on that as certain. Abigail's reaction had been the most pleasant surprise but he couldn't expect it to happen every time. Every person he had told his secret to had reacted differently because _they_ were different. This was such an extraordinary piece of news there was no way to know how someone would take it and he hadn't done this enough times to be able to compare them and find some sort of pattern.

He tried to relax, reminding himself that Abe had been through this before and Abe could probably say things to Jo that he would never even think of. After all, for all his years and experience he had never been on the receiving end and couldn't know what it felt like. Also, Abe was just plain better with people than Henry was. Abe was funnier, more personable and less afraid of saying things than he was. It would be fine, Henry told himself. Then he began pacing when he couldn't get his heart to agree with what he was telling himself in his mind.

He had checked his watch more times than he could count, watching the minutes tick by at an agonizingly slow pace and yet adding up to an alarming number when the sound of the bell dinging on the front door down stairs nearly made him jump out of his skin. He had thoroughly wound himself up into a frenzy and nearly cried out in fear when he saw Abe and Jo coming towards him.

"Jo," he said quietly and hopefully yet he expected he was not projecting the air of confidence he hoped he would. Jo came at him and be braced himself for whatever was coming, telling himself that whatever happened he would survive this.

 _Please don't leave me,_ he begged silently.

Then, to his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. For moment he was stunned, shocked still, his arms held out at the sides. He looked over her shoulder at Abe standing behind her. Abe waved his hand quickly as if to say ' _well, don't just stand there'_. Henry quickly wrapped his arms around Jo and held her close. He gave Abe a questioning look, wondering what was going on but Abe just gave him a little smile and Henry decided to just embrace the moment. Maybe it didn't matter what Abe had said exactly. Jo was here with him, holding on and not running away. Maybe he wasn't going to lose her over this after all. A couple of small shivers ran through her body and he regretted all he had put through today and the now obvious toll it had taken on her. He wanted say again that he was sorry but he was afraid it wasn't the right thing to say. He knew it wasn't enough.

"I'm still mad at you," Jo said pulling back so she could look at him. "But I don't want to fight." He saw tears in her eyes and he was overwhelmed by how much he loved her in this moment. Jo, his partner, his dearest friend now knew him, really knew him, for who he was and offered him her forgiveness.

He couldn't help himself from running his hands along her shoulders and briefly across her face as he looked at her and struggled to speak. "I'm so sorry I lied to you. I wish I could go back and do things differently but I promise you that I will never lie to you again. Ask me anything and I will tell you the truth.

"I know that you don't trust me right now," he was babbling, his hands were shaking with pent-up energy and he wanted to touch her again but he made himself resist. She opened her mouth to say something but he kept going. "I know you don't; you can't. And that's alright. I betrayed that and I know I have to earn it back. And I promise you I am going to do everything I can to win it back."

He let out a breath; all his words had run out. He was still shaking with all the energy of the moment. He had made such a mess of things and he only hoped that with his best efforts he could somehow make it up to her. She rested her hands on his arms and squeezed and then smiled. "O.K." She seemed to not know what else to say but it was all the answer he needed.

Abe, though temporarily forgotten, walked up to them. "I'm going to make us something special for dinner."

Henry and Jo started to protest but Abe waved their objections aside. "I insist. This is…a special day. And we are going to celebrate."

* * *

They had celebrated. Maybe a little too much when it came to the bottles being passed around. But Abe had made a fabulous feast and the relief they all felt at having the events of the day behind them was palpable around the table as they ate together on the rooftop terrace. It had been a rough day for them all but the worst of it had passed and they had allowed themselves to relax. With the bulk of the fear and tension relieved they had all found themselves starving and in need of each other's company.

Abe had gone inside a while ago. Henry couldn't say how long ago it had been because he couldn't have been less concerned with the amount of time that was passing now. He and Jo remained on the roof but had relocated to one of the patio couches where they could be more comfortable. To Henry's delight that had equated to being able to sit right next to Jo and being allowed to hold her hand. They stared up at the sky and were quiet for a long time but the silence was a comfortable one. Henry found himself in one of those rare perfect moments where he felt no cares or worries upon him or any wandering of his mind into the past.

"Henry," Jo said, shaking her head slightly and finally breaking the silence. "This all feels so weird."

He looked over at her and found her looking back at him. She was smiling and it was a genuine one. She even seemed to glow though that may have been his imagination indulging his heart a bit. Or it might have been the remaining buzz from their overindulgence at dinner. Regardless, what he felt from her was not imagined. Things _were_ different now between them and it was in the best way. She was happy to know the truth. And he was happy to know that when she looked at him now she really saw him.

When she had shown up this morning he had known that the day would either end with them closer than ever or over forever. He rejoiced now to know it was the former. Already he could feel the truth pulling them in closer to each other. The secret had created a barrier between them and now with its removal he was already feeling the pleasant deepening of intimacy between them. He was already having to remind himself not to rush into anything that she might not be ready for. It was such a rare and special thing when someone knew about him that it was hard not to throw himself completely into this relationship. He was so relieved to feel their friendship growing again that it would be hard for him not to want to take it all the way. It would be a constant battle for him to take things slow with her. But that was a battle he did not mind fighting.

"I know." He couldn't help but smile ear to ear. He loved to hear her talk about it, his secret. _Their_ secret now.

"How can this all be possible?"

"I wish I knew. I've tried so many things to figure it out. But I admit that I'm just as lost as I was when I began."

"Wow." She looked shocked all of a sudden.

"What?" he asked. He struggled to figure out what it was that he had said that had surprised her.

"Things really _are_ different. Henry Morgan just admitted to not knowing something! You must not have been kidding about the honesty thing."

He realized then that she was teasing him. She laughed a little and even though he smiled he wanted to answer honestly. Whether she realized it or not she seemed to be asking for reassurance about what he'd said earlier. He knew he owed her that and he would gladly give it as many times as she needed to hear it.

"I was not kidding at all about being completely honest from here on out. I meant what I said; you can ask me anything. I just may not always have an answer for you." He kept his tone light but he wanted to get his point across too.

She took a deep breath and sighed and then just stared at him. For once he didn't mind the scrutiny because there were finally no secrets between them. She actually knew who he really was and he didn't have to hide anything around her anymore.

"I'm really glad you know the truth now," he admitted quietly, as he squeezed her hand and drew her a little closer.

"Me too, Henry."

Even later, when the night was already half over, he finally saw her out to her car so she could head home. He could hardly believe how much had happened since she had arrived. Even though his body began to protest the late hour it still didn't seem like enough time had passed for all that had changed.

Before she left she held out the photograph that had started this all and shyly asked if she might hold on to it for a while. Normally, he would be more than eager to get one of his photographs back into his possession. But this time he felt no worry at all leaving it in her care. He trusted Jo completely and he already found it hard to believe that he could have ever really doubted her. He gladly obliged and when she drove off he watched her car until she was out of sight.

He went back inside, locking the front door again and making his rounds to turn off the all the remaining lights before he went to get ready for bed. He was surprised to find Abe still sitting in the living room, in his pajamas but still awake and reading a book.

"You're still up?"

Abe just shrugged his shoulders in reply as if it wasn't odd for him to be up at this time of night and as though this day hadn't been a long and eventful one. Henry didn't hesitate then. He walked over to Abe and gave him a rare kiss on this cheek.

Abe was clearly surprised by the spontaneity of the gesture but Henry was glad he didn't protest it today. "What was that for?" he asked and Henry detected there might even be a hint of pleasure under that surprise.

"I wanted to thank you for talking to Jo today and for sitting with me while I was talking with her. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Well, I had to make sure you actually went through with it. It's about time you told her the truth," Abe joked, always one to lighten the mood.

Henry smiled fondly at his son. "I mean it, Abraham. I don't know what you said to Jo today but I know that I have you to thank for the fact that I still have a relationship with her."

"I don't know about all of that," Abe said, trying to brush off the praise, not wanting to take that much credit.

"I do," Henry insisted. He laid his hands on Abe's shoulders and looked him in the eyes because he wanted him to know how serious he was and how grateful.

Abe's expression turned serious in return. "I just want you to be happy… Dad."

Now Henry knew just how much this day had affected Abe when he heard the hardly ever used name said without even a hint of jest.

"I am. I really really am," he said and he sincerely meant every word.

How could he be anything but overjoyed? He was a man who frequently dwelt on all his misfortunes but tonight he felt only his many blessings. He had the best son a man could ever ask for, one who constantly brought pride to him and one who, for all his teasing, loved him dearly. Abe didn't express his emotions as clearly or as readily as Henry expressed his but Henry knew that Abe must not have held back today when he was speaking with Jo. Henry still didn't know exactly what Abe had said to her but the effect his words had had on her was enough to tell Henry they must have been very dear.

And now there was a second. For so many years it had been just him and Abe and it was enough for him. Yet, now he had been given the gift of another, a second person to be in his confidence. To think he had feared this day so much and for so long. Adam had been right; he'd feared it even more than death. Now that burden of worry was gone and replaced with a sense of relief that was difficult for him to adequately describe in words.

He was realistic enough to know that there were still challenges ahead. Jo had accepted what he'd said but that didn't mean that she wouldn't still have to come to terms with what she'd learned today. Living in a world where immortality was a reality was a hard thing to accept and she would have to work through that. In a way, she would have to get to know him again too. She would have to reconcile all she knew of him with all she would come to about him in order to see the full picture that was his whole life story. And he would have to work to earn her trust back. She had forgiven him for his deception but he would have to prove himself worthy to be given that trust back. It was going to be a lot of work but he didn't mind. She was still here and they still had the chance and that was what mattered the most.


End file.
